Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university
Abstract Background Technological development has led to the wide use of mobile phones. However, the role of the hand-held device in the possible spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens considering gender variation, especially among Nigerian undergraduates is poorly understood. This study...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03766-2 |
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| author | Morufat Oluwatosin Olaitan Akeem Ganiyu Rabiu Zara Babagana Umara |
| author_facet | Morufat Oluwatosin Olaitan Akeem Ganiyu Rabiu Zara Babagana Umara |
| author_sort | Morufat Oluwatosin Olaitan |
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| description | Abstract Background Technological development has led to the wide use of mobile phones. However, the role of the hand-held device in the possible spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens considering gender variation, especially among Nigerian undergraduates is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess bacterial isolates recovered from male and female mobile phones for antibiotic resistance and determine possible factors that could facilitate their spread. Methods Forty (40) undergraduates were included in the study with gender parity. Swabs of the undergraduates’ mobile phones were cultured and bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiology methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of the isolates was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay and the results were interpreted by the Clinical Standards and Laboratory Institute (CLSI) guideline. Bacterial isolates (n = 6/21) that resisted antibiotics belonging to ≥ 3 different classes regarded as multidrug resistant (MDR) were subjected to 16 S rRNA sequencing and identified using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) algorithm. Results The total bacterial count of male (11.1 × 106 ± 4.0) CFU/mL and female (11.7 × 106 ± 6.4) CFU/mL were high though comparable. Of the 25 isolates recovered, 10 and 15 were respectively from male and female mobile phones. Staphylococcus aureus (n = 11) was the most occurring isolate followed by Escherichia coli (n = 5), and Salmonella sp. (n = 3); the rest occurred less frequently. Staphylococcus aureus obtained from male phones (n = 7) is higher than in females (n = 4) but the species diversity is greater in females (n = 7) than in males (n = 3) phones. Isolates were resistant to ampiclox and zinnacef (85.71%), erythromycin (78.57%), amoxil and augmentin (72.73%), septrim (72%), rifampicin (71.43%) while > 80% were MDR. Low levels of handwashing and non-use of hand sanitizer could be linked with phone bacterial contamination. Conclusion Frequent handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers should be prioritized among undergraduates to curtail the spread of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9394689835c745fc8fbec279042d12fe |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-9394689835c745fc8fbec279042d12fe2025-01-26T12:17:56ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802025-01-012511810.1186/s12866-025-03766-2Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian universityMorufat Oluwatosin Olaitan0Akeem Ganiyu Rabiu1Zara Babagana Umara2Department of Biology, Microbiology and Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Sciences, Nile University of NigeriaDepartment of Microbiology, Federal University of Health SciencesDepartment of Biology, Microbiology and Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Sciences, Nile University of NigeriaAbstract Background Technological development has led to the wide use of mobile phones. However, the role of the hand-held device in the possible spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens considering gender variation, especially among Nigerian undergraduates is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess bacterial isolates recovered from male and female mobile phones for antibiotic resistance and determine possible factors that could facilitate their spread. Methods Forty (40) undergraduates were included in the study with gender parity. Swabs of the undergraduates’ mobile phones were cultured and bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiology methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of the isolates was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay and the results were interpreted by the Clinical Standards and Laboratory Institute (CLSI) guideline. Bacterial isolates (n = 6/21) that resisted antibiotics belonging to ≥ 3 different classes regarded as multidrug resistant (MDR) were subjected to 16 S rRNA sequencing and identified using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) algorithm. Results The total bacterial count of male (11.1 × 106 ± 4.0) CFU/mL and female (11.7 × 106 ± 6.4) CFU/mL were high though comparable. Of the 25 isolates recovered, 10 and 15 were respectively from male and female mobile phones. Staphylococcus aureus (n = 11) was the most occurring isolate followed by Escherichia coli (n = 5), and Salmonella sp. (n = 3); the rest occurred less frequently. Staphylococcus aureus obtained from male phones (n = 7) is higher than in females (n = 4) but the species diversity is greater in females (n = 7) than in males (n = 3) phones. Isolates were resistant to ampiclox and zinnacef (85.71%), erythromycin (78.57%), amoxil and augmentin (72.73%), septrim (72%), rifampicin (71.43%) while > 80% were MDR. Low levels of handwashing and non-use of hand sanitizer could be linked with phone bacterial contamination. Conclusion Frequent handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers should be prioritized among undergraduates to curtail the spread of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03766-2Antibiotic resistanceMultidrug resistanceMultiple drug resistanceGender-specific AMRMobile phoneHandwashing |
| spellingShingle | Morufat Oluwatosin Olaitan Akeem Ganiyu Rabiu Zara Babagana Umara Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university BMC Microbiology Antibiotic resistance Multidrug resistance Multiple drug resistance Gender-specific AMR Mobile phone Handwashing |
| title | Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university |
| title_full | Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university |
| title_fullStr | Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university |
| title_short | Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian university |
| title_sort | gender specific antibiotic resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students mobile phones and associated factors at a nigerian university |
| topic | Antibiotic resistance Multidrug resistance Multiple drug resistance Gender-specific AMR Mobile phone Handwashing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03766-2 |
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